Swamp things, A little swamped with, game prep. Options

[cannonfodder]

i'm coasting my team down the Mississippi from Wisconsin to New Orleans on a hydrofoil yacht on a smuggling run for some Yaks. I have some ideas but could use help with:

Boat Plans
Possible Random Encounters
Border Security Descriptions
Swamp Things

Recommendations Welcome

[audun]

What about Swamp Thing ;)

Random encounters / swamp things:
- Voodoo people having a ceremony somewhere in the swamps.
- Leshy playing some tricks on them (check out Faeries in SoE for some more tips)
- river pirates
- gators
- spotting what is meant to be a hidden facility
- a sunken boat in the river possibly with cargo intact
- whoever sunk the boat
- whoever owns the cargo of the sunken boat (possibly an encounter when they come to New Orleans)
- cops searching for smugglers
- cops searching for a missing hiker

Otherwise, check out T:SH for info on New Orleans.

[Dogsoup]

Have one ore more Will-o-the-wisp sneak up on the characters when they're trying to lay low or are lost: IRC these little bastards have compulsion and illusion powers that could make for some pretty good "horror" situations.

[tisoz]

1) Legend has it that when engineers dove to inspect some of the locks on the river, they encountered catfish 6 feet long and about a foot in diameter. They first mistook them for logs.

Have them get hung up on a sandbar or snagged by a submerged log. When they get in the water to help get it free, or at least to check the propeller, have some of these giant catfish attack them. Or awakened, giant catfish. Give them a stun attack, in addition to a biting attack and a getting hit by tails. Fins could be edged attack.

To add to the suspense, foreshadow it. Maybe have people telling tall tales, or someone fishing has a tremendous struggle with whatever they've hooked before the line, or rod, breaks.

2) Have some toxic spirits attack. There are some places that are so polluted currently, you are warned not to eat anything you catch. Could also have some mutated wildlife in these areas. Memphis comes to mind for a heavily polluted part of the river. And a lot of the river just plain smells bad.

3) Waterfalls that don't look like much, mere inches, but that are supposed to be quite dangerous because of the massive amount of water.

4) Deliverance. Fun with the locals. Make them have to look for fuel. Or be at the mercy of falls, sandbars and snags. Cue Dueling Banjos music.

5) Border crossing when going from UCAS to CAS.